


I Will Survive

by WinterSabbath



Series: Frostiron Bingo 2019 [8]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Angst, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Heavy Angst, Hurt Loki (Marvel), Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, M/M, Multiverse, Pining, Time Travel, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-09-02 01:17:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20267644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSabbath/pseuds/WinterSabbath
Summary: Loki and Tony are the only heroes left of the decimation so they travel throughout the multiverse to collect the infinity stones they need to snap their own fingers.or the fic where Loki and Tony live their own versions of Endgame and Frostiron ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: angst
> 
> \---
> 
> I know there are a lot of Endgame fix-its out there, please, I'm telling you right now, this isn't exactly one of them. Loki and Tony are the ONLY ones left who can undo what Thanos did (the rest of the Avengers are dusted). The time travel in this fic works differently from endgame. It's more of multiverse travel because that makes more sense to me and it has lesser consequence (I have yet to grasp what Endgame's time travel rules truly are). If you have questions about the rules of multiverse travel in this fic, ask away.
> 
> \--- 
> 
> FI bingo square: G1: De-aging

“I don’t wanna go, I don’t wanna go, sir, please,” Peter whispered, stumbling against Tony and clutching onto him with all his might. Tony set him down against a rock. This was inevitable, he knew. There was nothing he could do or say that would reverse the process. Everyone else had turn to dust and Tony so _desperately _hoped Peter would not.

Peter shook against him and they locked eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Peter said quietly before turning to dust in Tony’s arms.

Tony breathed heavily as he tried to chase the dust. He stared at his hands, waiting to vanish himself but it never came. After a few minutes, he realized that he was the other half of the universe that remained. His companions were not.

“He won,” a low voice murmured behind him. Tony whirled around, certain that he had been alone. A familiar face stepped out of the shadows, as bloody and bruised as he.

“Thor said you died,” Tony said, voice devoid of emotion. He was in no mood to sass, no mood to jest, all he knew was that he _failed_. He failed Peter, failed his friends, failed the _universe_.

“It is a long story.” He looked away. “Thor is dead.”

Tony could only give a dry laugh. “Half the universe is.”

“No, Stark. Half the universe resides in the soul realm. Thor is not. He died at the hands of Thanos.”

Tony didn’t know what to say to that.

“Why are you here, Loki?”

“You are the only Avenger that survived the decimation.”

Tony clenched his jaw, mustering up a glare that hopefully conveyed his frustration enough. Of all the people (aliens) he had wanted to come to his aid or support, an ex-enemy of Earth who was supposed to be _dead_ was not really on top of his list.

Mind reeling back to 2012, he realized something and paused.

“Aren’t you on Thanos’ side?”

Loki glowered at that implication as though it was the most offensive thing Tony could’ve said. “Listen, Stark, he killed my family, he killed my home, and back then he took away my freedom. There is not a single bone in my body that wishes to side with him.”

The dust on Tony’s hand weighed on him and he swallowed. He understood where Loki was coming from because to some extent, he lost his family to Thanos too. However, if there was one thing that Tony learned since becoming Iron Man, it was that trust was not meant to be given out easily. Trust was too dangerous and fragile a thing.

And Loki was known as the God of _Lies_. Tony had no reason to trust him except for the fact that... if Loki _was _telling the truth, then Tony had no one left that could help him undo this.

He weighed his options and in the end, relented. But he knew he could not go about this nonchalantly. Loki was a trickster by nature and so Tony did have to keep his guard up at all times.

“You want revenge,” Tony said, slowly standing up, “I want to get back who the world lost. We both share the same goal: end Thanos.”

Loki nodded, face grim. “In that we do.”

Tony truly tried to clear his mind. He was feeling a whole wave of emotions. Frustration. Anger. Sadness. Sorrow. Hopelessness. All of those combined did not really account for a clearheaded Tony Stark but he tried to at least have a rational mind and not let desperation take over his decisions.

Tony tried to be rational. “How do I know you won’t kill me while we’re planning to kill him?”

“Is my word not enough?”

With a raised eyebrow, Tony folded his arms, expecting Loki to answer that question for himself. Loki sighed— at least he clearly understood Tony’s implications. Tony was not really in the mood to explain.

“I swear to the Norns, Urd, Verdandi and Skuld that from hereon forth, ‘till the day either of us may perish, I, Loki... Odinson, Prince of Asgard, Rightful King of Jotunheim, God of Mischief shall never betray you, Tony Stark.”

Tony, despite himself, found it in him to snort. “You get so many titles and all I get is Tony Stark?”

Loki’s eye twitched in irritation but he did not say more.

Tony contemplated for awhile. He stared at the ground, occasionally glancing up at Loki. He knew there was some weight to the words Loki had just spoken and perhaps Loki _was _desperate enough for revenge as much as Tony was.

Tony sighed and unfolded his arms.

“Where do we start?”

\--- --- --- 

When they were back in the Avengers compound, Tony’s fears were confirmed. There was no one around—not a single hint of an Avenger (or ex-Avengers who were on the run as criminals). It was almost as if Thanos intentionally wished to get rid of the Avengers. All of them except Tony because he had given Dr. Strange a promise to spare Tony’s life.

Tony blinked. In hindsight, that did make sense.

He had already shown Loki to a spare room and once they both tidied themselves up, they went to the communal area and discussed their plans. Ideas have been thrown around over cheeseburgers and beer but it did not seem like they were getting anywhere.

“We cannot apprehend him now. Not in this time, at least,” Loki insisted, tapping his finger on the glass of his beer.

Tony brushed a hand on his goatee and zoomed in on the hologram of the gauntlet that was right in front of them. “JARVIS, what do we think?”

“With only you and Loki, sir, it will be unlikely you will be able to take the gauntlet from Thanos,” JARVIS replied.

Tony sighed. He figured that out himself. Both him and Loki weren’t exactly _weak_ but the most they could probably do was stand against a Thanos _without _the infinity gauntlet. Tony leaned down on the table and put his head down. Voice muffled, he said, “What if we time travel?”

He could hear the frown radiating off Loki. “That is not possible. No one has ever—"

“No one’s ever created renewable energy before and yet here I am,” Tony muttered back. He sat back up and clapped his hands. “Alright, J. Pull up any research done about the quantum realm that doesn’t include fictional movies. No more of that Back to the Future nonsense.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you certain about this, Stark?”

Tony shrugged. “No, but I don’t exactly have anything to lose, do I?”

Loki nodded in understanding. “I shall assist you then.”

“Exactly why you’re here, buddy.”

\--- --- --- 

“Your eyes were blue before, weren’t they?” Tony asked while he sat on the floor, drilling a hole into a metal plate. He paused to wave the drill around. “I got a close up of you before. You know, with the whole choking thing going on. Were you wearing contacts? I didn’t know Asgard had contacts.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Loki visibly stiffen. “Asgard has no need for contact lenses."

“Then what’s up with the eye color then?”

“My eyes are green, Stark,” Loki said.

Tony’s head shot up and he looked at Loki’s eyes. Sure enough, they were a soft green. Shock ran across Tony’s face as he realized what it meant.

“You were under the control of Thanos. Mind control.”

Loki glared at the floor. “Of a weaker sort, yes. I was angry when I fell into the void and he used my emotions to manipulate me.”’

“Why didn’t you lead with that?” Tony asked, “Asgard could’ve pardoned you... does—did Thor know?"

“I never had the opportunity to tell him,” Loki admitted, “And Asgard would not have pardoned me. Heimdall could not see me when I fell into the void. Without his word, I do not have anyone siding with me."

Tony was quiet for a moment before he leaned back. “Well, you’ve got my vote now, if that’s any consolation."

A small smile graced Loki’s lips. “Thank you.”

“How did you end up under Thanos’ control, though?” Tony was never truly one to stomp down his curiosity.

Loki brushed his fingers through his hair and seemed to think about it for a moment. In the end, it seemed he decided Tony was somewhat trustworthy enough because he started to talk.

“It started with Thor’s coronation,” Loki began.

“Hold up, I thought Thor didn’t want the throne?”

Loki smiled a bit. “My brother and I were very different beings back then.”

“Makes sense. Go on.”

He hummed. “If I tell my tale, Stark, will you at least tell me of yours as well?”

“We’ve got all night,” Tony shrugged.

And tell their tales they did.

\--- --- ---

They never ended up sleeping that night. They talked a lot, told each other their respective stories and how they became who they were today. And as they talked, Tony built his time machine.

After doing some research, Tony found out that he needed Pym Particles so humans (or Asgardians) would be able to use his machine and enter the quantum realm. It also seemed that manufacturing it himself will take far too much time. The more time they wasted, the longer the decimated were trapped in the soul realm, Loki had said.

Which was why they found themselves standing in front of a rundown workshop that JARVIS determined to be Hank Pym’s laboratory.

“J, are we sure about this?” Tony gave the building a skeptic look.

Loki took a step forward. “Come on, Stark, we mustn’t waste time.”

Not willing to take chances, Tony activated the gauntlet in his right hand just in case. He then followed Loki into the building and they entered an elevator that seemed to be the only thing that existed in the first floor.

“This place is sketchy,” Tony commented offhandedly as the elevator began to descend.

Loki snorted. “I believe that is the point. Hiding in plain sight.”

There was soft _ding _and the doors opened to reveal a hi-tech laboratory hidden underneath the rundown building. Tony raised an eyebrow. “Should’ve expected that, really.”

“Alright, let’s find those pyms.”

Loki made a face as he walked over to one of the tables. “Please do not call them pyms.”

“I will call them whatever I want.” Tony grinned. “Now let’s search for these babies.”

They both thoroughly search through every drawer, every corner, every cabinet but only end up with five. Tony was ready to rip out his hair and slam his head on the particle accelerator that was shoved into one side of the room.

“This isn’t enough,” he said.

Loki collected the particles and shrugged. “We can collect more particles from the past.”

That... that actually made sense.

“Alright, let’s go back to the tower and test it out.”

Once back, Tony was fitted into a suit for quantum realm travel and he stood underneath his machine, giving Loki a small but nervous smile.

“If I don’t come back in thirty seconds, that would probably be the appropriate time to panic,” he said, putting on the helmet. He was trying to play it off as a joke but a part of him knew that that was indeed a possibility. It seemed like Loki did too because he didn’t laugh or at least smile.

“You better come back, Stark,” Loki huffed.

“I’ll try.”

It looked like Loki found that convincing enough because he pressed the button to activate the machine and Tony felt himself being sucked through the quantum realm. However, instead of reappearing in the past like he expected, he stumbled back into the present feeling like he got punched in the balls.

“Holy shit,” Tony gasped. His voice sounded weird and he took his helmet off. “What the fuck was that?”

Loki was gaping at him.

“Stark...” he said slowly, “You... do you feel alright?"

“What are you—” Tony caught his reflection on the floor and his eyes widened, “Oh my fuck.”

His hair was different, his face was a million times younger, he had less wrinkles and... he looked _twenty._

Tony looked up, touching his clear face. “Clearly we have more work to do.”

Loki gave him a half amused and half concerned smile. “Is this what you looked like before?”

“Almost thirty years ago, yeah,” Tony muttered, hopping off the machine. He looked at the scans on the computer screen. “Maybe time travel isn’t the right way to go about this. Paradoxes... too much paradoxes... oh! Loki, what do you know about multiverses?”

Loki tilted his head. “Mages have said they exist, yes. However, I believe it is all theory.”

Tony clapped his hands and cleared his throat. “Let’s try it out then. We still have four more test runs to go.”

“Don’t you wish to fix your... problem, first?” Loki said uncertainly.

“Huh.” Tony caught his reflection on a steel machine. “I don’t look that bad but I do miss my old form. Maybe I should try to fix me first.”

Tony pulled up the code for the machine and for a while they stood there in silence as he tapped away, making small adjustments to reverse the process and bring him back to his forty-eight year old self. Not that he hated this form (hell, it was a lot easier to move in it) but he preferred to go on with life not looking fresh out the womb.

In hindsight, though, this machine could be used to turn someone immortal. Which is why Tony should probably destroy it immediately.

When the silence was lasting too long, Tony asked, “So, have you ever dated anyone?"

Loki rolled his eyes. “I do not wish to discuss my lovers with a teenager.”

“Hey! First of all, this body is twenty years old, not a _teenager_. Second of all, my mind is still almost fifty, thank you very much,” Tony huffed. He still wasn’t used to his voice. Or his body, for that matter. He had a lot less muscle in this form, really.

“I have never had a true partner,” Loki said after laughing.

What.

“_How?_” Tony furrowed his eyebrows. “You’re centuries old!”

“I have never met anyone who has interested me for more than a night,” Loki shrugged, folding his arms.

“Ah.” Tony nodded. “A one night stand man, I see.”

“And you, Stark? Have you have any lovers?”

“Pepper was an almost but it never worked out. Before her? No one. I still haven’t found anyone who can really stand me,” Tony admitted, sad as it may be. He didn’t really mind as much, though. He’s learned to accept that it would be next to impossible to find someone he would fall in love and spend the rest of his life with.

Loki stood next to him and absentmindedly looked over the code. “It never worked out, why?”

“She wanted me to choose between her or Iron Man and I...” Tony swallowed, shrugging. “Well, you could guess what I chose.”

“A true lover should never make you choose,” Loki frowned as though this bothered him a lot, “You are doing well as both Tony Stark and Iron Man.”

“High praise from a god, I see,” Tony teased.

Loki hit Tony’s arm softly. “Just say thank you.”

Tony paused for a moment and then a bit more quieter and actually quite grateful, he said, “Thank you.”

\--- --- ---

They finish the aging up machine and Tony stood on it for about twenty seconds before it brought him back to his older self. And then they immediately went to work on the multiverse machine.

Tony had figured that time travelling would involve too much paradoxes and would be too difficult a feat to accomplish and most likely impossible. So what they went with was multiverse hopping—with Loki confirming that multiverses did exist.

When Tony built the navigation device for the multiverse, he grinned triumphantly and held up the little mobius strip in his palm. “Space-Time GPS that will sense the energy of the stones and take us to each one and assure that we both end up in the same place.”

And then they tested it out.

Tony wound up in Stark tower, 2012. It felt the same except the Avengers logo was instead replaced with a 4. That didn’t really make sense to him but before he could think much of it, he heard unfamiliar voices coming from the hallway and he pressed the GPS so it would take him back to Loki.

He pumped his fist in the air when he landed back to his universe and waved the GPS around. “It works!”

“Wonderful.” Loki gazed at it with interest. “How will we get more particles, though?”

“I programmed it to sense that too. That should be our first priority.”

Loki smiled. “What’s our first destination, then?”

Tony patted his work. “We’ve got the how. That’s what we’re going to figure out next—the whens.”


	2. SPACE.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bingo square I3: Howard Stark

_Alternate Universe - New Jersey, 1970. _

“Birthplace of Captain America,” Tony read out as Loki transformed their clothes. This place brought back memories of his little self waiting outside of the training base for his father to finish up his work so they could go to the park together. They never did end up going to the park. Jarvis would always take Tony to get ice cream instead and looking back, Tony knew how apologetic Jarvis must have felt whenever they would way for two to three hours and Howard never ended up showing.

Tony shook his head. He didn’t need to reprise old memories. “Come on, we should get moving.”

“Do you think it is still Captain Rogers who is the Captain America in this universe?” Loki asked. They wove through the crowds with ease—both of them looking like well-established scientists from MIT. They even had the IDs for it.

“Who knows? Maybe, maybe not,” Tony shrugged. Not that it mattered. It was the _idea _of Captain America that Tony grew up to hate. Ever since he was a child all his father could talk about was Captain America this, Captain America that. Whoever the man behind the shield? Tony hated them all the same.

He paused, looking at the signal fluctuations on his glasses. “Would you look at that,” he grinned, “The tesseract is here too.”

Loki’s mouth quirked up. “So who shall take what?”

“I’ll go for the tesseract since I can track it. You go for the particles then we meet up behind that jet over there.” Tony pointed to a fighter jet that was obviously meant for display purposes only.

“Very well,” Loki agreed. They entered the elevator together, not speaking a word to one another. When they reached the floor where Tony could sense the tesseract, he bid Loki goodbye and they went their separate ways.

Unsurprisingly, the tesseract was kept in a laboratory. There was no one else in sight and Tony quietly thanked his luck as he opened the tesseract vault, took the glowing cube out and shoved it into an almost empty briefcase. He made a mental note to make sure to return the briefcase as well once they were done with the stones. If they lived.

“Arnold, you in there?” a familiar voice yelled, “Arnold?”

Tony quickly shut the briefcase and turned to the sound of the voice. _Fuck_.

Howard Stark was standing a few meters away from him. They locked eyes with one another and Tony spun around, hoping to walk away from this unevitable conversation.

“Hey!” Howard called out, “Door’s this way pal.”

Tony didn’t have to be a genius to know Howard was addressing him. Slowly, he turned to face his father and like a mantra in his head, he reminded himself _this isn’t your father. Just someone who looks like him. This isn’t your father. Just someone who looks like him. Howard was never a father to me... This isn’t... He’s just someone who looks like him... Not your father. Not your father. Not your father. Not dad._

“Have you seen Dr. Zola?” Howard asked.

Tony was still repeating the mantra in his head. He hurriedly walked forward. “No, no, haven’t... haven’t seen a soul...” _Not your father. Not your father. Not dad. Not dad. Not dad. _He collided with a chair and muttered a small ‘pardon me’.

Howard approached him slowly and Tony just wanted to run. Meet up with Loki and _go back_.

“Do I know you?” Howard frowned.

Tony wasn’t sure if this universe’s Howard already had a son. He shook his head again. “No, sir, just a... visitor from MIT.” And for good measure, Tony held up the fake ID Loki had made for them.

_Not Howard. Not dad. Not Howard. Not your Howard. Dammit, Tony, get it together._

“Got a name?” Howard asked, leaning forward.

“Howard,” Tony blurted out before he could stop his mouth. He didn’t even have time to berate himself because Howard was already talking.

“That would be easy to remember.”

Tony avoided his gaze. “Howard... Howard... Odinson.” _Why was he thinking of Loki at a time like this?_

“Well, I’m Howard Stark,” Howard shook his hand and Tony gripped it too tight to be considered friendly. “You’re looking a bit green there, do you wanna get some air?”

And then Tony dissolved into a whirlwind of _Stark. Stark. Stark. When was the last time I spoke to my dad? Howard Stark... wait, no, this isn’t my dad. Just a parallel. Not the Howard I knew. Not the Howard who raised me. Get it together, Tony Stark. This isn’t—_

“Hello, Odinson?” Howard said. It snapped Tony out of his thoughts and he stood up straight.

“Yeah, yeah, that would be great.”

He started to move forward but Howard stopped and bent down. “You need your briefcase?”

“Oh, yeah, thanks,” Tony smiled weakly, taking the briefcase out of Howard’s hands. He was out of his element right now and he _really, really _needed to get out. As they talked to the elevator, Tony gave his dad—no, Howard a once over to distract himself. He was carrying flowers. Huh. “Big date tonight?” he asked. That’s it. This was him getting back in his element. _Be playful and you’ll be out in no time_.

“Ah, my wife’s expecting.” Howard held up the flowers. “Thought to surprise her.”

That statement immediately snapped Tony out of whatever... _trance_ he was in. This wasn’t the Howard he knew. He was sure of it now. _Thought to surprise her_. When had _his _dad ever been affectionate toward his mother?

“I see... so is it a girl or a boy?” Tony asked curiously. Would a female Tony be running around in this universe?

“We don’t know yet. Girl would be nice, though. Less chance she would turn out like me,” Howard admitted.

Tony recoiled then frowned. “What would be so wrong about that?” and then he had to remind himself all over again that this wasn’t his dad.

“Well, let’s just say the greater good rarely outweighed my own self-interest.” _Okay, so maybe he’s a bit like dad._

He didn’t really have anything to say to that. As the elevator doors opened, he asked. “Where are you at with the names?”

“If it’s a boy... we were thinking _Almonzo_,” Howard said.

Tony held back a snort as he imagined a little _Almonzo _Stark running around. “Well, I’m sure you’ll be a great dad.”

“I’m wildly nervous. I don’t know think I have any qualifications to raise the kid but,” Howard sighed and looked away, eyes far and wistful, “Tell you what, kid’s not even born yet but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for ‘em.”

They stopped walking and Howard walked over to what looked to be Jarvis, the butler who had raised Tony. Tony looked around, Howard’s words ringing in his ears. _Oh how he wished_.

“Hey.” Loki came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder.

Tony flinched and turned around. He licked his lips and gave him a poor attempt at a smile. “Hey. Thought we were supposed to meet up by the jet.”

“I saw you on the way there. Were you able to—”

Howard was walking towards them again. His eyebrows were raised. “Is he your boyfriend?”

_Tony was pretty sure this was 1970_. Oh. Right. Multiverses. He cleared his throat, stamping down a blush that was threatening to rise. Denial should be easy. He’d only met Loki a few days ago. It wasn’t like there was anything going on.

“No, no, just a friend,” Tony stammered.

“Oh. Sorry.” Howard’s eyes trailed to Loki’s hand that was still on Tony’s shoulder. “Well... it was nice to meet you, Odinson.” Tony felt Loki’s hand tighten on him.

Tony nodded jerkily. “Yeah. Best of luck, Howard. With your kid.”

“Thanks,” Howard smiled. It dawned on Tony that this was the first time he’s ever seen Howard smile at him. Howard usually smiled at his own inventions, but never to Tony.

Howard began to walk away and Loki and Tony glanced at each other. Tony could only assume what was running through Loki’s mind. After that talk the other night, Loki practically knew Tony’s entire past. He _knew _what Howard had done. But he also knew that Tony had always wanted his father’s love, or be given a chance to fix everything. Undo the accident.

Loki tilted his head towards Howard. “This is your only chance, Anthony.”

_Anthony_.

Tony gave Loki the briefcase and ran after Howard. “Wait,” he said. Before Howard could reply, Tony embraced him. “Thank you. For everything,” then he felt Howard go stiff beneath him and he reluctantly added, “You’ve done for this country.”

Howard gave him a contemplative look, a nod and then they parted ways. Tony walked back over to Loki and it took all his self-control to prevent himself from looking back.

“Let’s go back to base and put the tesseract there then off to our next stop.”

Loki didn’t say anything, simply patted him on the back. Tony was grateful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts? what would you guys like to see?


	3. MIND.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bingo square N5: steampunk

_Alternative Universe - New York, 2012_

Tony gaped.

“Holy fuck,” he whispered. They were standing in a back alley and everything was so... _Victorian_. It was as if he had stepped right into the Victorian era but this time there were airships floating around battling the Chitauri.

A woman walked past them and Tony stumbled back as she walked in a fluffy gown. A bustle, Tony thought it was called.

Tony looked around uneasily. “Uh, Loki, are we in the right time?”

“This is where your device has brought us so you would know if we have landed in the wrong place,” Loki said, going to stand beside Tony. They looked at each other. “Perhaps we should go look for your... tower. Though if this is how this universe is... I do not know if you even exist.”

“Well, it _does _say Stark on that tower.” Tony pointed to a looming tower in the distance. “Although who the _fuck _decided to use that font?”

Loki hummed and took Tony’s hand. “Come on then.”

They teleported to the tower, landing on a bridge connecting the tower to another one. Tony figured the other tower was this Tony’s tower as well. The Chitauri ships were still floating around but they were being destroyed by the airships and some weapons that were protruding out the tower. And then Tony spotted a Loki floating right outside one of the tower’s open windows.

“Maybe you should change your form...” Tony said to his Loki. “Also, how come you look the same here?”

“Perhaps it’s because I do not come from Earth,” Loki snorted. His form shimmered and soon enough, Tony was standing next to a short haired man wearing a suit and holding a cane. Tony found himself with goggles on his forehead, and a lab coat. Although Loki didn’t change his face. “Just in case there will be a JARVIS to say we’re intruders. At least we have some sort of alibi.”

Tony tapped the goggles on his head and grinned at Loki. “How do I look?”

Loki regarded him. “Decent.”

“Please, I look great,” Tony huffed.

There was a small smile playing on Loki’s lips. “I suppose you do, Stark.”

Before Tony could reply, there was a sudden whir above them and a slightly mechatronic voice said, “Unauthorized intruders in the tower, Cap, but it’s not Loki.”

When Tony glanced up, he screamed.

“What in the ever loving fuck?” he screeched, grasping onto Loki for support. He stared at himself. But... it wasn’t himself, exactly. The Tony Stark that was flying above him was... was some sort of cyborg. He was _mostly _made of metal. Even half his face. The metal was embedded in his skin. Tony couldn’t even imagine the pain it must’ve been to put that on.

“Hey, you look like me,” Cyborg-Stark frowned, moving closer to them and landing on the bridge, a few feet away.

“I’m gonna be sick,” Tony muttered, backing away. “What in the _world_?”

Cyborg-Stark seemed to scan them for a moment. “JARVIS says you aren’t Loki so... who are you?”

“How the fuck did you—”

“What he means to say is,” Loki interrupted and took a step forward, “we are from a different universe and we need your assistance if you would be so kind to grant it.”

“How is that _me?_” Tony muttered to himself.

Cyborg-Stark tilted his head. One of his eyes were glowing blue and it was the most unnerving thing Tony had ever seen. “I don’t have a reason to trust you but otherworldly things have always interested me. How about you wait here in the tower until we kill these Chitauri guys and capture Loki, huh?”

“If I may,” Loki interjected, leaning on his cane as he added, “There is an easy way to destroy them.”

“What?” Cyborg-Stark asked, curiosity piqued.

Loki lifted his cane and pointed at the wormhole that was above what seemed to be the... main Stark Tower. “You simply have to destroy their mothership up there.”

“Blow it up with a nuke,” Tony added helpfully once he had gotten over his initial... horror.

Cyborg-Stark furrowed his eyebrows (eyebrow?). “Nuke?”

“Nuclear bombs? You know, things that go,” Tony made an explosion with his fingers, “_boom_.”

“Bombs, we have. But _nuclear_ bombs are a thing of fantasy!” Cyborg-Stark laughed. “There is nothing scientifically possible about it.”

Tony blinked. “What.”

“It’s a different world, Stark,” Loki said under his breath so only the both of them could hear it. “They have different rules, different... things.”

“You mean to tell me you’re a _cyborg_, you have _airships _running from _steam _and you... you don’t think nuclear bombs are possible?” Tony made a show of looking around the place. “I feel like I’m in a steampunk movie, good _God_.”

Cyborg-Stark folded his metal arms. “So you’re saying nuclear bombs _are _possible?”

“Hell yeah it is!”

“Maybe we do have a lot of things to discuss,” Cyborg-Stark said. He lifted himself into the air. “Wait here. I’ll go... blow up their mothership.”

Tony watched him fly off into the extremely polluted air. It was a wonder that Tony could still breathe. He huffed. “He couldn’t have taken us to a room first? Where are his manners?”

Loki looked like he was biting back a smile. “Stark, that is you.”

“Oh hell no! That’s half a robot.” Tony shuddered. “How bad did Afghanistan go for _that _to happen?”

“Perhaps you should ask.”

Tony waved it away. “Knowing me, that’s a pretty sensitive topic. We don’t want to go there. Not when we’re asking for two infinity stones, you know?”

This time, Loki had an amused smirk on his face. “Knowing you? So what is it really, Anthony? Is that you or not?”

“Nobody asked for your opinion,” Tony muttered. He didn’t miss the slip from ‘Stark’ to ‘Anthony’ either. Loki’s called him Anthony two times. It meant nothing.

\--- --- ---

“Woah, Cap looks...” Tony raised his eyebrows. “different.”

From where they were peeking, Tony could tell Steve’s costume was more... _victorian_. There was no other way to describe it. He was wearing a _tailcoat _and _gloves_ and... _were those goggles hanging around his neck?_

“He has better taste in clothing, at least,” Loki said.

Tony pointed at Thor (who looked exactly as he did back on their universe) and then grinned. “He fits just right in!”

Loki hit him on the backside of his head. “You teasing his clothing is akin to teasing mine so if you would please—”

“You two mind stopping the eavesdropping?” Cyborg-Stark’s slightly metallic voice said from behind them. That voice was still giving Tony shivers. It was like being stuck in an Iron man suit all day. Which was, essentially, what Cyborg-Stark was going through.

Loki turned. “Well, you did leave us for quite awhile.”

“And here I am now. Come on, let’s go to my office. Loki’s already being withheld so we’ll be fine.”

“Oh, what a joyous occasion indeed,” Loki muttered, making Tony elbow him. “Pardon me for being honest.”

Tony rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. They followed Cyborg-Stark to what seemed to be an elevator that had no proper walls. The walls were sort of like grates and the chains pulling them were visible _and _they could be heard as the elevator stopped on their floor. Tony eyed it cautiously. “You sure this won’t fall on us?”

Cyborg-Stark chuckled. “I’m a genius. We’ll be fine.”

“That’s my line,” Tony said.

“What a surprise,” Loki commented. “As if people need the reminder.”

Tony nudged him playfully. “You flatterer.”

Cyborg-Stark looked between the two of them as they stepped into the elevator. “I wasn’t aware the two of you were dating.”

“What?” Tony yelped. And then, realizing he was a bit too loud, he fiddled with his gloved hands and said, “We’re not. We’re just friends.”

Loki didn’t confirm nor deny that statement. He only looked ahead. Cyborg-Stark, on the other hand, gave them a thoughtful look before he hummed. “I guess that’s how it is. Well, hope you two work things out.”

“What do you _mean?_” Tony glared.

“Oh, come on, I’m you.” The elevator doors opened and Cyborg-Stark stepped out, spreading his arms. “Me, you. We’re not very different, it seems. So I at least have _some _guess on what’s going on in that brain of yours.”

Tony clenched his jaw, pointing a finger at his cyborg doppelganger. “Now, listen here you son of a bitch—"

“Gentlemen,” Loki interrupted, making both Tonys turn to him, “please, we have much more important matters to discuss.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. They were here for a reason and they just needed to get the infinity stones, use them, bring them back to where they came from and voila. Tony shouldn’t be spending time arguing with himself. It was a waste of time especially since he was a stubborn son of a bitch. He knew that. 

“Fine, fine,” Tony relented. He looked at his twin. “We need Loki’s staff thing.”

“Scepter,” Loki supplied oh-so-helpfully.

Cyborg-Stark was looking at them with a raised eyebrow. “And what makes you think I’m going to give that away to two people I’ve only met?”

This was Tony’s time to shine. Nothing Loki would say could convince Cyborg-Stark like Tony could. He knew himself. “Because I’m you and I’m trying to save _my _universe, alright? I know you. You want to save the universe and be all heroic because you think that’s going to compensate for the guilt you feel. Well, look, man, I feel the same way too. And these stones are my chance to save my universe. Half my universe have been snapped away by the stones and I need them back, okay?”

Cyborg-Stark folded his arms. He looked stern for a moment before his face softened a bit. “I have no idea what stones you’re talking about.”

Of course. Tony face-palmed. “Right. The scepter has a stone in it. It’s one of the six infinity stones that exist in every universe. They’re also the most powerful things one could wield. I promise we’ll bring the stones back once we’re done with them.”

“How do I know you won’t run away with the stones and destroy my planet?”

Tony sighed. Why was he such a skeptic?

“I’m you! Ask me something personal that only you—or we would know.” That was too confident a statement. Tony prayed that it wasn’t one of those minor differences between universes. Else Tony and Loki would leave here empty handed.

“Fine.” Cyborg-Stark pursed his lips, thinking about it for a moment. It took him around two minutes before he finally asked, “What did Jarvis use to call us when we were kids?”

“Little Mechanic,” Tony answered immediately.

Cyborg-Stark’s arms lowered to his side. “Okay, maybe you _are _telling the truth.”

Tony grinned like it was Christmas. “So you’ll get us the stones?”

“As long as your promise to bring it back _along _with scientific books about nuclear power. I’ll tell the Avengers I’m examining the stones.”

Tony was not so sure how well nuclear powered weapons would go over in this universe but... he trusted himself (no he didn’t) not to mess things up. Plus, it got him and Loki the stones, so, it was a win-win for both parties, right?

“Deal.”

Cyborg-Stark gave them a curt nod and went back to the elevator, leaving them alone in the office.

“That went well,” Tony said after a brief silence.

Loki hummed. “You are certainly easy to sway.”

“If I’m being swayed by me, sure.”

“You think so highly of yourself.”

Tony snorted. “And you don’t?”

“Think so highly of you?” Loki pretended to think on it and then a slow smile came on his face. “Perhaps I am beginning to.”

What Tony was to make of that, he wasn’t so sure yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how was it?
> 
> also steampunk steve is a concept i cannot stop thinking of.


	4. REALITY.

_Alternate Universe - Asgard, 2013_

The Golden Realm was quite literally golden in a way Tony had not expected.

He had asked Loki if it was the same as the one in their universe and Loki nodded, saying, _everything was exactly as it was_. So Asgard was built on gold upon gold and there was a huge pipe organ in the center of it—that was the palace, supposedly.

They were inside the pipe organ, cloaked by an invisibility spell Loki had put on them upon arrival. If the Aether was here, Loki said it would most likely be in the secret vaults of the pipe organ. Or if it was parallel enough to their universe, it would be stuck inside a certain Jane Foster.

When Tony had asked the story for that, Loki just shrugged and said it was a stupid move on Foster’s part and her curiosity had gotten the best of her. Since Tony was a curious person himself, he made sure Loki knew he took offense to that.

Loki had just laughed.

“Oh, shit, there she is,” Tony whispered, stopping in his tracks. He hid behind the wall (instinctually—it wasn’t like that changed anything) as they watched Foster go inside one of the guest chambers. “The Aether’s probably inside her.” They had a plan for extraction, at least.

“Yes, it must—” Loki cut himself off and when Tony turned, he found a woman looking _straight at them_. “Mother,” Loki breathed.

Tony furrowed his eyebrows, awkwardly, he said, “Can she see us?”

The woman—Loki’s _mom_... Loki had said her name was Frigga—laughed and gave them both a sweet smile. “I see with more than my eyes. Loki. Why are you here?”

Loki levelled her with a blank stare. “I am... escaping. From my cell.”

“Loki, you are not the son I know,” Frigga chuckled, “Perhaps this would be best discussed in the privacy of my chambers, yes? Come on, dears.”

Tony felt Loki nudge him and he stumbled forward, walking behind Frigga. “What about the stone?” he hissed towards Loki. Loki waved him away so he simply rolled his eyes and fell into stride next to Frigga. “Hi, I’m Tony Stark, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Ah, Stark...” Frigga put a hand on his shoulder. “The man of Iron Thor never ceases to talk about. It is nice to meet you too.”

“Lokes, I’m winning over your mother!” Tony announced proudly, puffing his chest out as he glanced back at Loki. Loki was looking at him with a half amused and half exasperated expression

“I am uncertain if that is what I would call it,” Loki admitted, a pleased smile on his face, despite that.

When they reached Frigga’s chambers, Loki made certain that the doors were sealed and the walls were warded so not a single sound escaped the room—or at least that was what Tony assumed he did. He invited himself on the couch and Tony did the same beside him. Frigga, on the other hand, paced before them.

Loki followed her with his eyes. “Mother.”

Frigga paused and gave him a smile. “Do you come from the future?”

“Well... not exactly,” Tony answered for the both of them, “It’s sort of more like an alternate universe, you see. Some things are different here.”

Frigga nodded as she walked over to Loki, grasping his arm. “Your magic still pulls from Yggdrasil but it is so much stronger than the Loki I know. Whether this is because you are older and more experienced or because you were raised different—I do not yet know.”

“You are still more powerful than I am, mother.”

Frigga gave a noncommittal and then redirected her focus towards Tony. “And you are my son’s betrothed in your universe?”

“Huh?”

“Mother!” Loki gasped in horror, standing and putting a hand over Frigga’s mouth. Red was rising to his cheeks. “You cannot speak in such a way. Anthony and I are here as warriors and nothing more.”

Tony furrowed his brows in slight confusion. He had quite a good idea of where this was going but he did not want to jump to conclusions in fear of looking like an utter fool. Ignorance was the best character to play, then. “I’m confused.”

“That’s quite alright,” Loki said hurriedly.

Frigga chuckled at them both but offered no additional information regarding the particular betrothed that was Tony Stark. Instead, she sat beside her son and gave him the motherly look. “Perhaps you can tell me about how things fare in your universe?”

“It is tragic,” Loki began. Tony shifted in his seat, making himself comfortable as Loki began to tell the tragic story of Thanos.

\--- --- ---

Thor’s loud voice was their cue to leave.

When they heard the yell of ‘Mother!’, Loki and Tony stood up, cutting their conversation with Frigga short. Loki took one glance at the door and then pulled Frigga into a tight hug, mumbling, “Thank you.”

“I’ll always be here for you, Loki.” The door’s knob jiggled and Loki had to let go of his mother. Tony could see him blinking and a part of him was thinking Loki was crying. Why would Loki cry, though?

“Come on, Stark,” Loki said softly, taking Tony’s hand and making them invisible.

Tony huffed as he was dragged outside the room. “It’s back to Stark now, huh?”

Loki didn’t respond. They slipped past Thor as he opened the door and then they made their way outside. Loki was still frantic so Tony tugged on his arm, trying to dig his heels into the floor. “Will you calm down? What’s gotten into you?” 

No response.

“Loki!” he hissed.

Nothing.

“If you don’t stop right now, I’m going to—I’m going to—” Tony honestly had no idea what he was going to do. “Argh! Will you _slow down_? Why are you in such a hurry—”

Loki stopped so abruptly that Tony crashed right into his back. His breathing was erratic and shaky. He stared at the ground. “She dies today.”

_Oh._

Tony swallowed. He reached up a tentative hand and put it on Loki’s shoulder as an attempt at being comforting. “Well... this _is _a different universe so maybe she survives...”

“_No._” Loki’s hand tightened around Tony’s. “This universe is much too akin to ours. Everything is the same.”

Tony scrambled for _something_ to say that would help. “We could... we could stay a bit longer, if you want.”

Loki shook his head. “It will only reopen wounds. We should go.”

Tony didn’t know what to say to that. This time, he let himself be willingly dragged.

And then something else appeared in front of them. _Someone_, to be more precise. Tony stared at the duplicate Loki who was staring straight at them despite the spell. “Please tell me that’s you,” he whispered.

His Loki narrowed his eyes at the duplicate. “Are you not supposed to be in your cell?”

New Loki tilted his head, a familiar smirk playing on his face. “Cell? Why would I be in a cell? For New York? Ha!” he clamped a hand over his mouth then composed himself. “I was pardoned, of course. Odin _did _realize that it was his actions that ultimately caused my little... ah, temper tantrum or what have you.”

Tony’s Loki gave a slow nod. “I see. Odin being forgiving is quite a rarity.”

“I was surprised myself,” New Loki smiled. It was sharp and dangerous—just simply _chaotic. _It was so unmistakably Loki. That smile was probably something each iteration of Loki maintained. New Loki clasped his hands together. “So, what shall I do with you intruders?”

“We’re not intruders,” Tony jumped in, “We’re just you. From a different universe. This is Loki’s home too.”

New Loki shook his head. “I am not as gullible as you think I am, mortal. You have come to take the aether, I can only assume. An ally of Malekith, perhaps?”

Alright, so he was right about the aether but Tony was certainly no ally to someone who had the name _Malekith_. “We come in peace, Loki. We’re not allied to Malekith.”

“Like I believe that,” New Loki scoffed.

“You’re the god of Lies!” Tony huffed, “You’d know if we were lying, wouldn’t you?”

New Loki snarled at them. “And if not Malekith then who?” and then after a pause, his eyes widened and he took a step back. “Unless it’s—”

“_No_,” Loki said firmly, “Not him. Never him.”

“You know who I speak of?”

“I fell into the very same void you most likely fell into. I know who you encountered,” His Loki said. “This may be a different universe but you exhibit nearly the exact same traits I have ever since my fall.”

“Yeah,” Tony agreed even though he had no idea what the Lokis were talking about.

New Loki turned to him. “Oh, and you know of this too, mortal?”

Tony had a vague idea. Something like _Thanos_. “Uh, yeah, sure.”

“I did not think any iteration of me would encounter someone they would trust with my deepest secrets,” New Loki said softly, his body relaxing by the slightest bit as he looked at his counterpart. “Your betrothed, I will assume?”

“_No_,” Loki hissed, “Why does everyone insist so? Anthony Stark is a friend.”

“Oh! _Stark_,” New Loki drawled, eagerness in his eyes, “My, my. You bed a former enemy, Loki.”

“I did not _bed _him,” Tony’s Loki repeated. Tony could feel Loki’s palms sweating against his own.

“Are you really so appalled by that idea?” Tony snorted. It was a joke, of course. He did not expect Loki to think anything of him but a friend.

Loki grit his teeth. “That is not my point.”

“Ah, well, this is something you two will resolve on your own, I suppose. But I must ask you to leave now. There’s a feast in Jane’s honor that will begin in six hours and I must ready myself for the joys of feasting!” it seemed this Loki didn’t miss a lesson in sarcasm.

“We are not leaving,” said Loki, “And I would prefer not to fight you, for your sake.”

“For _my _sake?” New Loki scoffed like the pompous prince he was. “As if you could beat me so easily.”

Tony groaned. “Fuck’s sake, just paralyze him already, Lokes. You don’t really think you could reason with yourself, do you?”

“I do apologize for having to do this,” Loki sighed, raising his hand.

Green energy surged from his fingers and leaped towards new Loki with such force. New Loki was not so easily beaten, though. His hand shot up and a barrier came between him and Loki. He cocked his head to the side. “Really?”

“My turn,” Tony grunted, letting the Iron Man armor form around him. He launched himself a few feet up, thanking Asgard’s high ceilings, and then aimed his repulsors towards New Loki. The energy made the barrier flicker but it didn’t break. “Hey, Lokes, how about we do it at the same time?”

New Loki glared at him and Tony dodged out of the way of green energy just in time. “Come on, buddy, _not _cool.”

“Anthony.”

“Right, right, on three,” Tony huffed, dodging green energy while he talked. New Loki was certainly not relenting. Tony raised both of his hands, balancing in the air on his foot thrusters. “One.” He narrowly avoided an attack. “Two.” Loki was glowing green. “_Three!_”

With full force, Tony broke New Loki’s magic shield the his Loki hit him with a paralysis spell, sending him on the floor, stiff as a block of wood. Tony grinned as he landed back on the floor and the armor melted back into his reactor. “That was fun.”

Loki was less enthusiastic. “We should go.”

“Why are you being so serious, Lokes, I mean, I get that we just defeated you but it’s a battle won, isn’t it?”

“My mother could live in this universe,” Loki said quietly, staring at his paralyzed counterpart. “I was the reason my mother died in our universe. Since the Loki here is not in the dungeons, she could live.”

Tony frowned, milling about it for a few moments before saying, “That’s... that’s good, right?”

“I am not perfect, Anthony. I am envious of this Loki for he will still have many more centuries to spend with his mother.” Loki’s jaw clenched and his hands were shaking. “That last thing I said to my mother was telling her she _wasn’t_ my mother. I was angry, I did not mean such cruel words...”

“I—”

Loki shook his head. “Let us go. I will make us invisible as we enter Jane Foster’s room and then we can extract the Aether. The faster we get out of hear, the better.”

Tony cared for Loki. He figured that out since they were in New Jersey and even if he’d only gotten along with Loki for a few days’ time, he hated seeing Loki this sad. Tony could understand the guilt though and he knew if he was in Loki’s place, he would not want anyone to pry.

So he didn’t.


	5. POWER.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bingo square O1: Peter Quill

Tony instinctively reached for Loki’s hand when they stumbled onto a few rocks. He steadied himself on a big stone, hand still grasping Loki’s. It was after he was looking around he realized he was holding Loki’s hand for absolutely no reason at all.

He felt heat rise to his cheeks as he hastily let go. A murmured ‘sorry’ escaped him but he doubted Loki heard it. When Tony glanced at his companion, Loki was staring at an archway that was a few feet away from them.

“The stone is in there,” Loki murmured, “But I have no clue how to open it.”

Tony took a quick look. The details were intricate, there were no knobs or buttons anywhere. It was all carvings he could not understand. Despite that, he shrugged. How hard can it be?”

“Very much so, Anthony,” Loki said, face grim, “If we toy with it, we risk—get down.”

“Wha-“

He had no time to be confused. He felt himself being shoved behind the rock and Loki was clamping a hand over his mouth. “Someone’s here,” he hissed.

Tony pried Loki’s hands off hand dusted his clothes in an exaggerated manner and then gave Loki a well-deserved shove on the shoulder. “You could’ve just made us invisible.”

“We do not know what magic or technology he has.”

“You think he can see us invisible but not us hiding behind a _rock_?” Tony asked incredulously.

Loki rolled his eyes. “Invisibility is merely an illusion. It is much easier to break an illusion than see through physical barrier. Come on, Anthony, you should know this.”

Tony let out a fake, offended gasp. “Excuse _me_ for not being an expert in magical spells. I spent over forty years believing magic doesn’t exist. Which, by the way, it still doesn’t.”

“Magic is just a subset of science,” agreed Loki. He peeked over the rock and then slipped back behind the rock. “He is wearing some device in his ears and seems to be... dancing. I doubt he will notice us.”

“You mean earphones?” Tony raised an eyebrow. He peeked past the other side of the rock. “That’s probably a human, Lokes. Also, what’s he doing with earphones? Starkpods exist for a reason.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’ll go talk to him. Either he really likes me or hates me. That’s all people think about Tony Stark. Don’t get up until we’re done talking,” he grunted. Loki seemed about to protest but it was too late because Tony was standing up and waving towards the stranger.

“Hey!” he yelled, putting himself in between the stranger and the door. The stranger paused, taking the earphones out of his ears—it was then that Tony realized he was holding a _walkman_ which... what? How far back in time had they travelled? The 1800s?

The stranger was frowning. “...do I know you?”

Again, what?

“Uh, Tony Stark,” Tony said slowly, “You know? Iron man?”

“Sorry, man, I don’t know who you are and you’re kinda in the way.”

Okay. Tony figured he was either dead or he never existed in this universe. There had to be some universe he didn’t exist in, right? Probably this one. So his plan was now thrown out of the window because he didn’t exist here. He gave a forced smile. “I just wanted to talk, bud.”

“I’m sort of busy here,” the stranger said, pointing to his walkman.

“You’re after the power stone, right?”

In an instant, the guy had two guns pointed towards Tony and a funny looking helmet over his head. The walkman was stuffed into his bag. “Why do you ask?”

“God, am I the only person in all these universes that can be reasoned with?” Tony grumbled. He looked up, raising his hands the air. “Listen, I mean no harm.”

“You know I’m after the stone so that means you’re after it too,” the stranger tilted the gun, “Seems harmful enough for me.”

“I’m from a different universe, from a universe where someone managed to collect all six infinity stones and used it to wipe off half the population,” Tony explained. He was patting himself on the back for being able to keep his calm, really. “I’m sort of like... a superhero in that universe so I’m trying to save it, alright?”

“Superhero?” The guy’s helmet melted off like nanotech. He had an incredulous look on his face. “What? Like Captain America?”

“Okay, _now _I’m offended,” Tony huffed and feigned offense. “You know Cap and not me?”

“You’re wasting my time here,” the stranger growled, “_and _you’re weaponless. I suggest you make a run for it while you can.”

Tony regarded him and tilted his head. This guy was almost as arrogant as him so maybe he could play to that. _Think like Loki_, he told himself. “Do you know have the key to opening the door?”

The stranger scoffed. “Of course I do, I’m not stupid enough to come here unprepared.”

That was easy.

Tony grinned. “Alright, thanks! Night, night.”

Before the stranger could react, Tony hit him on the head with a non-fatal repulsor blast. The stranger was knocked out quickly enough and Tony yelled Loki’s name.

The mage appeared next to him and sighed. “What ever happened to talking?”

“Oh, shut up. The key’s somewhere in his satchel.”

Loki looked to be suppressing an exasperated sigh and Tony couldn’t keep the smug grin off his face. Loki bent down to reach into the satchel and soon enough, he was taking out a cylindrical device with two metal points sticking out. “The tool of a thief,” Loki murmured.

“You know how to use it?”

Loki nodded.

“Yay!” Tony eagerly walked towards the door and patted it. “Be careful, booby traps might explode in our faces.”

“I do not understand you,” Loki muttered. There was fondness in his voice, though. He put the device in a certain area of the door and it slid open quickly. Tony found it ridiculous that the power stone was kept in a cavern that could be opened so easily by a common space-thief—he told Loki those exact words.

Loki pointed to the ball in the center that appeared to be floating. “This is the difficult part. We cannot simply take it, it will burn our hands. I cannot use my seidr either because it cannot go past the barriers.”

Tony snorted. “_This _is supposed to be hard?” he took off his wristwatch and let the gauntlet assemble. The gauntlet had its own repulsors so that it could detach and attach itself on Tony easily in battle. “Here’s our solution!”

“How is this a solution?” Loki frowned.

“Well, I can control the gauntlet through the movement of my hands because of implants in my skin, see,” Tony pointed to his arm where the implants could no longer be seen.

Loki stood back and watched him.

As Tony did it, the gauntlet slowly began to melt as it went through the barrier but much of it survived. Enough for him to reach in and grab the ball and take it out.

Once the power stone was in their hands, there was a bittersweet feeling in his chest. “One more stone to go,” he said without much enthusiasm.

After all, after they retrieve the last stone, he would barely, if he would ever, see Loki again. That made Tony’s heart sink but he tried not to let it show. Why would Loki care?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> vormir is next... does anyone have any ideas as to what will happen? it certainly won't be pretty, i can assure as much!


	6. SOUL.

“This is the last one and then we will return to our old lives,” Loki murmured. They stood in front of an archway, surrounded by nothing but rocks and violet hues of light emitting from nowhere in particular.

Tony wished he was happy to agree.

“Welcome,” said a deep voice. The pair turned to the sound.

A floating figure began to make their way towards them and in an instant, Tony had his armor on and Loki was holding his knives. Tony pointed a repulsor at the figure. “Who are you?”

“Anthony, son of Maria. Loki, son of Laufey,” the cloak said. Tony could barely see his face but it was most certainly red. “Consider me a guide to all who seek the soul stone.”

“Oh, great, you know where it is.” Tony lowered his hand a bit. “Maybe you can tell us where it is and we’ll be on our way.”

The figure came nearer and light shone on his face which was most definitely red. His expression was grim. He stared right at Tony and said, “If only it were that easy.”

He then turned and made his way further up the mountain. Tony gave Loki a questioning glance since he was the magic master, after all. Loki gave him a frown but began to follow the floating figure anyway so Tony followed suit.

They stopped short of a cliff.

Tony blinked as the figure told them that the soul stone was _right in front of them_. And then he pursed his lips, peering down the bottomless abyss. “I mean, I can bluetooth control my suit to the bottom...”

“It does not work that way,” said the figure, “In order to take the stone, you must lose that in which you love. A soul, for a soul.”

Tony glanced up nervously. “Love?”

“A love between friends, family... or perhaps more.”

With that, Tony let out an awkward laugh and looked over at Loki. “Wh—what the fuck is he talking about? We’re not... we’re not family.”

“Anthony, please,” Loki said, his voice extremely pained.

“No, no, there has to be a way around this, okay?” Tony muttered, shaking his head as he backed away from the cliff. He could understand what Loki was trying to get at. He could understand the implications of that _Anthony_—he wasn’t dense. Tony had fallen in love with Loki and Loki knew it. That didn’t _help _their situation, though. “There’s always a way around things. He could be—he could be lying.”

“He does not lie, Anthony, I can tell you as much.” Tony felt a hand on his shoulder and then Loki continued, “This was how Thanos was able to gain the soul stone. There is no other way.”

“But I...” _Oh fuck it,_ Tony thought. “I fell in love with you... it’s too soon...”

Loki looked surprised at this sudden revelation and he took a step back. “I had thought that... it was only me...” he murmured, “I could not accept losing you because I love you and you did not love me back... but now...” he closed his eyes. “I suppose I can do it.”

“What? No!” Tony gasped out.

“It should be be, Anthony. You deserve life. You deserve a happy ending.”

“And you think that you don’t?” Tony growled, “It’s more practical if it’s me, Loki. I won’t survive snapping the gauntlet anyway and you might have a chance at doing so! You can survive and explain to everyone what happened.”

“You can find a way to survive,” insisted Loki, the tips of his fingers beginning to glow green, “and you have people to go back to—a whole world that will miss you. This way, at least, I can enter the gates of Valhalla and reunited with my people.”

“Loki...”

“Anthony...”

And then Tony’s suit formed around him and he blasted Loki to the ground with a repulsor. He made a run towards the cliff but wasn’t able to get very far before green magic coiled around his ankle and tugged him back, making him trip and fall to the ground. He turned to his side and saw Loki running towards the cliff. Tony glared at him and let his gauntlet detach from his armor and grab Loki by the ankle and pulled him down.

Tony stood but before he could even walk, Loki was shooting him down with green energy and trapping him to the floor. Tony grit his teeth as he worked to get free. Loki was so close to the cliff and Tony escaped just in time to grab him by his left hand.

Loki was trying to push himself off as he dangled back and forth but Tony’s gauntlet grip was far too strong. “Anthony, let go.”

“No. Please, no,” Tony begged, “I don’t want to lose the first person who finally understands me.”

“Anthony, it’s going to be alright,” Loki whispered softly. Green energy began to hum in Tony’s gauntlet and then he was blasted back. At the same time, Loki pushed himself off and was sent falling through the void.

“_No!_” Tony screamed, scrambling to look over the cliff but it was too dark to see anything. “No,” he said, softer and more pained. Tears stung in his eyes but before he could have to curse the red shadowy figure who caused Loki to die, there was a flash of orange and a loud thunder from the skies and then Tony found himself kneeling over a shallow lake of water and a stone in his hand.

Tony let out a loud scream and slammed his fist in the water. First person he loved and he didn’t even get a _chance_.

He sat there, tears falling from his face. He didn’t have the energy to go back.

It felt like an hour passed before he heard a soft ‘Anthony’ behind him. His first thought was that he was hallucinating and going insane. But then a familiar hand touched his shoulder and as Tony turned around and looked up, he saw _Loki_.

Tony squinted up at him. “What—"

“It seems... I have been made mortal,” Loki said softly, pulling Tony up and tugging him close. “The sacrifice would have killed a mortal man but made an immortal mortal.”

Tony wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Are you an illusion?”

Loki had the energy to laugh. “No, Anthony, I am not. Perhaps we should go back and use the stones to save the universe.”

“Wait but if you’re immortal now... how can we snap our fingers?” and then Tony furrowed his eyebrows and firmly stated. “There will be no dying.”

Loki chuckled. “I still have my magic. With that and your inventions, we can make a device sentient enough to snap its fingers for us.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Tony agreed, “but first—”

He leaned over and pressed his lips on Loki’s. Loki was quick to reciprocate and he put his hands on the back of Anthony’s head. They stood there for a while, kissing each other with much need and want.

Tony couldn’t keep the smile off his face as they pulled apart.

“I’m glad you’re alive, Lokes.”

_ **fin.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END. 
> 
> the next chapter will just be an alternate ending which is sadder. if you're happy with this, please don't bother going to the next chapter.


	7. ALTERNATE ENDING

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Tony Stark falls in Vormir and Loki has to go back to their timeline by himself and snap his own fingers while mourning Tony's death.

_October 17, 2023 - Alternate Universe, Tony dies_

Anthony,

For the longest time, Anthony Stark, I knew for a fact that I was incapable of love and honesty. And yet here I am, sitting on the counter that oversees the living room, writing this to you. There is no chance that you will ever read this but this is something I must let out for the sake of my sanity.

Captain Rogers is giving me odd glances. They all have but he has stared at me the longest. The Avengers only know the bare minimum of what happened. They do not trust me very much but they tolerate my presence, at least. I do not care. There is a lot of them here, you see. I doubt you have met even half of them. They litter the entire compound and noise is constantly echoing wherever I go. And yet I cannot help but feel so empty. After all, there may be plenty of Avengers but there is only one that I wish for and he is not here.

Anthony, we have not known each other for very long. I cannot count the exact days since they have been messed by the time jumps but I am certain we have not known each other for more than two months. This miniscule amount of time does not bother me. What bothers me is that I was unable to spend more time with you.

What bothers me is that I was never able to tell you the entirety of my feelings.

What bothers me is that the same moment you confessed, you slipped from my grasp and fell to your death.

What bothers me is that I am a god but no matter what I do, no matter how much I wish—you never come back to me.

Regret is a major part of what consumes me. Had we known each other for years, I would be mourning the loss of a lover. As of the moment, though, I mourn only the loss of a dream. Is it pathetic? Perhaps.

It drives me insane that I will never know what life with you would be like. I fell for you because you are easily the most charming man to exist. You are kind, you are a genius, you are funny, you are handsome, you are witty, you are beautiful, you are empathetic—the list goes on and on and I could drone on about you for ages. But no matter how much I speak of you, no matter how much I will compliment you—I will _never _know what it would be like to be by your side.

We have never even kissed. Will I ever get to know how that would have felt like?

You died a hero, Anthony Stark, so perhaps one day I will see you emerge from Valhalla as Ragnarok begins. I cannot be certain that Valhalla is where your soul resides because the conditions of one’s sacrifice to the soul stone escapes me. But I can be sure of one thing: if you are in Valhalla and we see each other again, I will do everything in my power to ensure I will know what it feels like to have your lips pressed against mine.

Until the next time I see you, Anthony. Whether during Ragnarok or not.

Yours,

Loki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's it for this story! it's a bit of a mess but i hope you guys enjoyed it at the very least!

**Author's Note:**

> if you liked this version of time travel, you can also check out my fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20103454


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